Swimmer Simone Manuel Trusts God Aheads of Paris Olympics

Published: June 26, 2024

Swimmer Simone Manuel Trusts God Aheads of Paris Olympics

By Movieguide® Contributor

USA swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel is headed to her third Olympic games after winning the 50m freestyle event at the U.S. trials.

Per Sports Spectrum, “Manuel, who had already secured her spot in Paris as part of the 4×100 freestyle relay team, wanted to compete in an individual event. She was down to her last shot. Yet thanks to her winning time of 24.13 seconds, she’ll have a chance to add another individual Olympic medal to her growing resume.”

“I wasn’t feeling too confident after last night,” she told NBC Sports. “I spent a lot of time watching races where I won. I really wanted to channel that Simone, because I know I’m a winner, and that’s what I did tonight. It’s crazy. It’s really special how things turn around in 24 hours and how I continue to trust in God. So I’m really thankful.”

Later on, Manuel shared a heartfelt message with her fans after her win.

“WOW!!! To God be the glory! I could truly say so much, and at the same time, not enough to completely express what l’m feeling and the journey to qualify for my 3rd OLYMPIC TEAM,” she began.

She opened up about her “heartbreaking journey” at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

“It all started with a call to be obedient and faithful to God’s calling and purpose for my life,” the athlete wrote on X. “Believing in the fact that He is in control, and that He always has much bigger plans for our lives than we can imagine. I’ll be honest, with everything I’ve been through, the sacrifices and tough choices I’ve made, the hard work I’ve put in everyday, and the determination, perseverance, and courage I’ve embodied through this journey, the result wasn’t quite what I was looking for. And that’s okay! At the same time… I can recognize that I have SOOO MUCH to be proud of, grateful and thankful for!

She continued: “After 5 months of essentially bed rest, on January 9, 2022, I got a membership at 24 hour fitness, and I just started swimming laps again. Looking up from the bottom of the mountain I was about to climb, day after day, month after the month, I set my alarm at 7:00 am, got up and swam by myself, facing my fears of failure, and working when no one was watching. I had this belief
that I could!”

Now, Manuel is headed back to the top for a chance to compete for an Olympic gold medal, and she could not be more ready.

“I climbed the mountain looking up. With all the odds stacked against me, I put one foot in front of the other, and started scaling my way to the top,” she concluded. “I took each hurdle and obstacle in stride. In swimming – battling the tug-of-war between my body and mind and where it was in the current to where it had been at my peak, missing intervals, facing defeat, not being strong, fit enough, finding my love for the sport again, and so much more. In my mind – battling doubts, fears, criticism, questions, and being counted out. Truly, I was walking an unpredictable path, but I saw opportunity. An opportunity to once again, never give up on myself, to never give up on God.”